2 min readMay 7, 2026 05:51 PM IST
Praise from World No. 1 and five-time World Champion Magnus Carlsen is rare. The Norwegian maestro, who remains the strongest player in the world, does not often sing praises for just any player. Known for his practicality and blunt takes, Carlsen’s commendation carries significant weight. And the highest-ranked chess player across formats has not shied away from appreciating the talent of 14-year-old Turkish prodigy Yagiz Kaan Erdogmus.
The Turkish sensation is the youngest player in chess history to breach the 2700 Elo rating in the classical format. Carlsen said calling Erdogmus merely “talented” would be inaccurate, as he believes the 14-year-old is already a top-tier player.
“I think calling him talented is a little bit inaccurate. I think he’s just very, very good,” Carlsen told Chess.com while competing at the 2026 TePe Sigeman Chess Tournament in Sweden.
“He’s a top player, and he’s ahead of what most… what all people have been at 14. So we’ll see. I guess I probably have to win tomorrow as well, but I’m happy with the fact that I’ve given myself a chance now,” he added.
Erdogmus achieved the monumental milestone of becoming the youngest player to reach 2700 in classical chess after dismantling former world champion Veselin Topalov in a one-on-one clash in Monaco last month.
A 5–1 victory at the Clash of Generations III event propelled his live rating to 2709, allowing him to cross the barrier at just 14 years and 10 months old. In doing so, he shattered the long-standing official age record set by China’s Wei Yi nearly a decade ago.
Carlsen had previously described Erdogmus as “the best 14-year-old the world has ever seen” after playing him at the World Rapid Championship last year.
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Carlsen and Erdogmus are set to face each other in the final round of the TePe Sigeman event, with both players fighting for the title alongside India’s Arjun Erigaisi.
